Trending Topics

October 2009

Having wrapped up the Sexual Detox series, I thought it would be useful to provide a list of recommended resources for those who wish to do reading on a particular topic.

Pretty much every author who has written more than, say, ten books has written one on the Lord’s Prayer and one on either sex or marriage (or perhaps both). It seems to be some kind of rite of passage. I assume I’ll get a memo about it after I’ve written a few more books. So if you have a favorite author, you may want to check if he or she has written on the topic. Meanwhile, here are some other suggestions. I am relying mostly on books I have read, so the list is somewhat smaller than it would otherwise be.

William Wallace Was a Monster
It took fifteen years, but Mel Gibson has finally admitted that his portrayal of William Wallace in Braveheart was pretty much a complete rewriting of history. But even now he still gets Wallace wrong.
T4G Earlybird
Tomorrow is the last day to qualify for the early registration rates for T4G. As of Sunday the price goes up substantially!
Persecution in England
This video is interesting. It tells of a Christian couple who are facing criminal charges after debating faith with a Muslim.
Halloween Worries
Melinda, blogging at Stand to Reason, raises some good points about Halloween. “Christians can be shocked that another Christian will go trick or treating, but not blink an eye of awareness or concern when another Christian distorts the doctrine of the Trinity.”

This is now the fourth entry in a series of articles about sex and, in particular, about sexual detoxification—about replacing lies with truth. First I wrote about Pornifying the Marriage Bed, then about Breaking Free and finally about A Theology of Sex. Today the series continues with Detoxification.

How Willingly Do People Go to Hell?
John Piper addresses one of the problems with C.S. Lewis’ teaching on hell. “What sinners want is not hell but sin. That hell is the inevitable consequence of unforgiven sin does not make the consequence desirable. It is not what people want—certainly not what they ‘most want.’ Wanting sin is no more equal to wanting hell than wanting chocolate is equal to wanting obesity. Or wanting cigarettes is equal to wanting cancer.”
Free Sermons on Amillennialism
“With the generous permission of Dr. Kim Riddlebarger, Monergism is giving away for free this incredible CD of his lectures and sermons. This mp3 CD includes Riddlebarger’s 15-part lecture series on Amillennialism 101 as well as his 32-part sermon series on the book of Revelation. This CD will be mailed directly and we only ask that you cover the cost of shipping.”
Preaching Under the City
I found this video amazing. Here is a man preaching the gospel to the homeless who live in the tunnels under Detroit.
Why Desiring God Gives Things Away for Free
Matt Perman of Desiring God explains why Desiring God has decided to give away so many of their resources for free.
Deal of the Day: Amazon
Just a reminder that every day Amazon has one amazing deal and a series of lesser deals on a variety of products. For example, today they are offering the Oral B “Model S-200 Sonic Rechargeable Toothbrush” for just $39.99, a 60% discount. Yesterday the deal was a set of Hitchcock DVDs. So it is worth checking in daily, especially around Christmas. You never know what you’ll find.

Where Do You Stand?
Randy Alcorn: “I’ve often been asked, Where do you stand on the Calvinism and Arminianism debate, and what resources do you recommend?” He goes on to describe what he believes and how he got there.
Do You Pray?
“The following is a timely reminder adapted from an essay by J.C. Ryle, on the vital importance of this oft-neglected spiritual discipline.”
The Divorce Divide
Dr. Mohler writes about the brutal cost of no-fault divorce. “The availability of divorce without cause, so-called “no-fault” divorce, rendered every marriage less than it was before. Once impermanence became a mark of marriage in the law and in the culture, couples were required to muster a special level of marital commitment to remain married. Right before the nation’s eyes, divorce redefined marriage.”
The Death of the Book Review
This is an interesting essay from Fast Company. The author says that the book review (at least the professional book review) will soon be a thing of the past.
The Holiness of God
Man in the Mirror is offering an amazing deal on R.C. Sproul’s classic The Holiness of God if you agree to purchase one or more boxes of it.
Midweek Markdowns
There isn’t too much of value in this week’s Midweek Markdowns at CBD, but they do have Tim Keller’s (hardcover) The Prodigal God on sale for just $11.99.

This is the second entry in a series dealing with sex and, in particular, challenging young men with the notion that their consumption of pornography has so shaped their perception of sex that they need to detox if they are going to be suitable husbands to their wives. In the first part of the series I wrote about Pornifying the Marriage Bed. I had intended to move to a Theology of Sex but based on feedback from yesterday’s article, I wanted to first share what I’ve written today. This is, I suppose, a kind of parenthetical article in the midst of the series.

About Tim Challies

I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario, and am a co-founder of Cruciform Press.